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Question - V70R in snow V70-XC70 2007

posted by someone claiming to be webperson on Sat May 19 16:56 CST 2007 [RELATED]

I am considering a V70R (before they stop making them) and I'm tired of changing over tires for winter, which I have done for 10 years on my V70 T5. Since the "R" is AWD, maybe I won't have to change over any longer.

However, my dealer tells me the factory tires are awful in snow.

I am asking for your experiences with "R"s in snow with the factory tires.

Thanks in advance...

The Webperson

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Question - V70R in snow V70-XC70 2007

posted by BillVT on Thu May 24 10:20 CST 2007
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last visit: Sun Nov 11 12:16 CST 2007

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Don't think for a moment that AWD or all season tires are EVER a substitute for GOOD winter tires. Go to a junk yard, purchase 4 steel wheels from a 700, 900, 850 or 70 series and mount the best winter tires you can find. (We run studded Nokian Hakkapeliittas on or 2 Volvos, Subruban and Explorer. Cost is a helluva lot less than insurance deductible for going off road.) Also, run skinny winter tires to ensure they cut THROUGH the snow instead of floating on top.

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Question - V70R in snow V70-XC70 2007

posted by james_a_sousa on Mon May 21 10:38 CST 2007
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last visit: Thu Oct 23 18:51 CST 2014

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Road & Track did an article about how bad performance tires are in winter. They covered several reasons, including soft rubber getting hard in the cold and wide tread being a problem.

R & T also did an article on the latest in snow tires, the new ones HOLD snow in the tread. They look like Blizzaks with lots of fine grooves. Evidently, snow grips snow better than rubber does!

Volvo recommends 195 tires for my '96 855R, and they work quite well if the traction control is on.

Keep in mind - as soon as you take your foot off the gas pedal, you no longer have any advantage having four wheel drive.
--
'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '95 855, '95 854, the first three are mine, heh, heh, 435,000 miles put on 9 bricks

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Question - V70R in snow V70-XC70 2007

posted by someone claiming to be cargusjoh on Tue Jun 5 17:12 CST 2007 [RELATED]

Hi,
My 2000 C70 (T5) frontwheel drive I took up into the mountain passes every weekend to ski fearlessly. On sheet ice I had problems, but that was rare, most of the time packed snow and was no problem.

The unfortinate total of that car allowed me to buy an 04 V70R stick, which I shod with Nokian WR on the 17" stock peg wheels. Not as good as the studs, but made it all season up into the mountains each weekend with no trouble. On sheet ice, was a bit hairy, and did not have the same grip as studs (doh), but plenty good. In one of our blizards I was pushing a 3' wall of snow in front of the car getting home, had to shovel it away before entering the garage :-). Now in spring/summer, I use the same tires so no tire/wheel swap. These actually help remove the "side hop" charateristic of the rear end a bit. But not performance handling like say Mich pilots would be.

Forbes rated the V70R as second best winter car, was enough for me.

Buy the R, get the stick shift, where the gRin!
Best,
Carl

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